1.26.2017

First Tooth Fairy Visit

On the day that we celebrated Connor's 4th birthday, after all the guests had left, I found Riley sitting on the sofa just looking glum. I kept asking her what was bothering her, if she was hungry or sleepy but she just shook her head. It wasn't for another couple of minutes when she told me that her tooth was wiggly. I was in utter disbelief. I asked her if she had fallen because I thought no way were we already going to experience this. But sure enough, she opened her mouth and her permanent teeth were already peeping through behind bottom front baby teeth. And just as I was reacting out of shock and excitement, Riley began to cry. I forget that this is a terrifying experience when you don't know what to expect. So we comforted her, and tried to play up the tooth fairy, but the fear remained.

Waiting for the tooth fairy

As the weeks went by, we encouraged her to wiggle her tooth as often as possible. With the permanents already growing, we (really, just me) were eager to get the baby teeth out. But she continued to be apprehensive and afraid of the entire experience.

Then one afternoon, Eric picked the kids up and decided to take them to the pool. And the way Riley told me it happened was as she was coming down the water slide. She felt something in her mouth, and sure enough, it was the first of her baby teeth to fall out.

Riley had it in her head that the tooth fairy hands out gold chocolate coins, an idea she picked up when her Chi Ba Brooke happened to lose a tooth when we were in town. When she woke up the next morning, she ran into our room to share what the tooth fairy had left under her pillow. I cannot believe how big my first-born is.